Never Runs Smoothly
by CatChester
Summary: Sequel to An Understanding The Fellowship is growing more militant, everyone is in danger, not least Sookie. Can her and Eric’s burgeoning relationship survive?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Never Runs Smoothly

Author: Cat Chester

Rating: M

Paring: Eric/Sookie

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I've started saving to buy them. Current total: £4.15p.

Spoilers: All 8 books

Summary: The Fellowship is growing more militant, everyone is in danger, not least Sookie. Can her and Eric's burgeoning relationship survive?

AN: Thanks and cookies to lj user="jess_lyons" for betaing this.

Sequel to An Understanding a href="." Part 1/a | a href="."Part 2/a

III

I woke up in Eric's arms, his fingers teasing and caressing me. This beat an alarm clock any day.

"Good morning, Miss Stackhouse," he smiled down at me.

I laughed, his formal speech was so at odds with what his hands were doing. His very talented hands, I might add.

Eric could do this all night, and suspecting he would given the chance, so I bit hard on his nipple, exciting him into hurrying things along. He was on top of me before I could blink and thrusting into me with all the expertise he'd learned in his 1000 years.

It isn't that I have a problem with taking my time, in fact having sex is one of my favourite ways to spend time with Eric, but tonight we were supposed to be at Fangtasia. The languorous love making could wait until later.

I lay in his arms after that, examining one of the hands that had just brought me so much pleasure.

"You should be a pianist," I told him.

"Why is that, exactly?" he asked, trying to figure my thought processes out.

"Because you have very talented fingers."

He laughed. At times like these I could almost believe Eric was human. Granted, he wasn't breathing and there was no heartbeat, but while we lay together with no agendas and no vampire politics to get in the way, he was completely unguarded and I loved that.

He scooped me into his arms and carried me into the bathroom.

"I can play," he told me.

I rolled my eyes. "Why does that not surprise me." Damn vampires, they could do everything.

He shrugged. "I got bored once and decided to learn but that doesn't mean I can play well."

"Right." I was willing to bet he was brilliant by almost anyone's standards.

He set me on my feet in the shower stall and stepped in after me.

"Out!" I ordered, pointing at the door.

"Sookie?" he almost sounded hurt.

"No, we have work and we're never going to get there if you don't leave me to shower in peace."

He gave me the puppy dog eyes. Ever since he'd remembered our time together, he'd realised how effective those eyes were at wearing me down.

"Uh, uh, no. Out! Now!" He turned away, doing his best to look forlorn.

"You are a hard hearted woman, Sookie."

I just glared, but I wasn't really upset. This was almost becoming a weekly ritual with us but I suspected if I began giving into his demands, he would stop making them. Eric was nothing if not professional. I liked that he teased me.

I pinned my hair up, turned the shower on and washed quickly.

Eric's bedroom was basically a top of the range panic room. It was a decent size, being about 15 feet by 15, and it had been decorated to look as much like a normal room as possible, but the tell tale signs were still there. One corner held a bank of small TV screens that monitored the cameras surrounding the house. It had an independent phone line and internet connection, an air and water filtration system. The bathroom (it had obviously been designed for duration as well as safety) was tiny but fully functional and the main door (like the rest of the structure) was a 3 inch thick sliding metal plate, it could be opened only from the inside. It door was also hidden behind a fake wooden panel in his library.

I enjoyed spending the night (or day would be more accurate) with him and being able to wake up with him still beside me, but I had to admit I sometimes felt a twinge of claustrophobia in that room.

His home was beautiful, as you'd expect, but I hadn't been prepared for it the first time he brought me here. In fact it had depressed me. Not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it was too big, too perfect. It suddenly hit me that Eric was much wealthier than I'd ever imagined.

I hadn't wanted to say anything as we'd only just come to terms with our previous differences, but he sensed my unease and asked about it.

I wouldn't tell him and he didn't press me until it became clear I was avoiding going to his home. Eric didn't really mind staying at my place but my behaviour was puzzling him and, typical Eric, he hated not knowing something.

I felt embarrassed to say what was wrong and tried to reassure myself that nothing had changed between us, and truthfully, it hadn't.

"Sookie, does my home upset you?" he'd asked one evening as he cradled me to him. "I can change anything, you know, all you have to do is say." I probably would have denied it again, but he sounded so earnest.

"Eric, your home is beautiful. I love it."

"Then why won't you sleep there? Are you worried?"

"I'm sorry," I sighed into his chest. "I just…"

He kissed the top of my head. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Scouts honour."

I pictured Eric as a boy scout. That was even funnier than as Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Sookie?"

Having used up all my escape tactics over the last week, I sighed in resignation. "I didn't realise how rich you were until I saw that house."

"And that makes you uneasy."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it just highlights how different we are, Eric."

He gripped me tighter and gave a warm laugh. "Oh, Sookie. We are entirely different species and my money is what upsets you?"

"Not exactly. And you promised you wouldn't laugh," I grumbled.

He wiped the smile from his face. "I'm sorry."

I tried to explain how I felt. "It's just that we are so different and I feel like the odds are already stacked against us, to say the least, and this just makes it worse. I mean you're a freaking millionaire and I'm just a barmaid."

"Never say that!" He sounded angry. "You are Sookie Stackhouse, the bravest, kindest woman I know." He kissed the top of my head. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not actually very cash rich. I have a lot of assets, true, but I don't have a fortune in the bank. The house is grand, but it's a good investment more than anything. The money in the house is useless to me unless I decide to sell."

I had a feeling his idea of cash rich and mine varied greatly, but it did make me feel better. Partly because of his reassurance but mostly it felt good to admit my fears. And he was right, if I could date a dead guy, I really shouldn't worry about dating a rich guy.

The next night he brought me to his home again and I asked him to show me around, which he did. The interior was recently decorated, semi-minimalist in its style and everything was new. There was a gas fireplace in the lounge but no fake logs, instead the flames shot through large white stones. It was very pretty. The sofa was basically an L-shaped unit covered in oversized cushions and it looked brand new. I was pleased to realise Eric didn't use this room often because that meant (I hoped) he hadn't had too many other women here.

Obviously I realised that when your honey was over 1000, there were more than a few exes piled up, but that didn't mean I wanted reminding about them.

Back in the present, I stepped from the shower and quickly dried off and dressed. Eric wasn't there and I realised he must be using another bathroom. I applied a little makeup and went to find him.

III

On the way to Fangtasia that night he asked me how I was feeling and I assured him I was fine. He was always very careful to make sure he wasn't wearing me out, both by making love and drinking from me. I liked that he worried about me.

As for making love, my muscles finally seemed to be coping. One thing was for sure, while I was with Eric, I would never need a gym membership.

The blood wasn't an issue either, Eric enjoyed drinking from me, but he took so little each time that I rarely ever felt weak or anaemic. He also healed the tiny wounds with his own blood most times, worried that I would get too many scars.

As he helped me from the car, Eric looked my dress over.

"I wish you would let me choose your outfits for these nights." He sighed dramatically.

"Yeah yeah," I laughed, "and then you'd be all over me like a rash and that kind of negates the point of my being here." My dress was nice, but demure, a light blue, knee length off the shoulder cocktail dress from Tara's with a matching shawl. Eric's choices for me were beautiful, but tended more towards the tight, short and figure hugging. In other words, things he couldn't wait to remove.

He took my hand and led me into the back door of the club. Pam had opened up tonight so we went straight into the bar and sat at Eric's usual table, in the centre. A new waitress, Kelly, took our order and tried not to stare at me. She had heard a lot about me and, seeing as I had snagged my very own vamp, wanted to learn from my example. I was flattered, most of the fang-bangers here didn't like me much.

A few weeks ago one such fang-banger had made the mistake of saying out loud what she was thinking. It wasn't very charitable but I would have ignored it. Her real mistake was saying it within Eric's earshot. Said fang-banger was promptly scared out of her wits before being thrown out and barred.

Vampires have a tendency to overreact.

As our drinks arrived, Eric pulled me onto his lap and began caressing me, but as enjoyable as that was, it wasn't for pleasure. Eric was freeing me up from conversation so I could concentrate on exploring the thoughts of those around me.

The Fellowship of the Sun was becoming more militant, as Eric and I had discovered when we were attacked by them two months ago and there was now a local cell of their underground movement, the American Evangelical Army. My job was to listen in on patrons thoughts and make sure none of them were AEA spies.

I had discovered a fellowship member here three weeks ago, but when we questioned him he just turned out to be a curious. No one had sent him, he didn't know of the AEA and so, after having his memory wiped, he was sent on his way.

Pam was upset that we'd let him go, but he was innocent. Besides, killing fellowship members would only incite more hatred against vampires.

"Nothing," I whispered to Eric.

Thoughts are like voices in that the closer they are, the louder they sound, so we moved around the bar throughout the evening to give me a better chance of listening into everyone. Our movements were carefully choreographed to look natural. Knowing that I had found nothing so far, Eric had obviously signalled to Felicity because she appeared at our table seconds later.

"Master, there is a problem on the door," she said, bowing her head.

Eric nodded and together we followed her to the door. Eric kept a protective and possessive arm around me. I didn't hear what tonight's excuse for the interruption was, I was too focused on the people around me.

After fixing the "problem" on the door we headed to the bar where Eric spoke with Matt, the new barman, we then toured the booths, speaking to the vampire patrons and their guests while I scanned the crowd.

As though he could no longer resist my charms, Eric then kissed me passionately and swung me into his arms, carrying me through to the back offices.

It was another ploy, of course. Not that I didn't like being swept, but we needed to check outside the building as well as inside. We walked the length of the alleyway and around the sides of the bar, checking to make sure no one was watching from the surrounding buildings.

With my first sweep over I was feeling pretty tired. I was getting better and better at using my gift, but keeping it up for any length of time was still draining. It also didn't help that the thoughts of most Fangtasia patrons were all about sex, and a lot of it very, uh, unusual sex.

It seemed to me that vampires sexual preferences varied as much as humans did, but humans expected all vampires to be kinky. BDSM, leather, latex, bondage and chains featured a lot in their fantasies, and looking into those thoughts wasn't something I enjoyed.

To make matters worse, I hadn't even had my coffee, which was completely Eric's fault, as far as I was concerned. He had bought me an espresso machine, but very rarely gave me enough time to use it on the nights we came here.

I erected my mental shields and we went back to his office for a break while and Eric rang down to the bar to order me a coffee. I smiled, pleased he knew me so well. Of course the coffee here is awful, but caffeine is caffeine.

Fifteen minutes later we were heading back to the floor. We had just stepped out of the Staff Only door that led through to the bar when I "heard" my name. I turned and buried my head in Eric's chest.

"Sookie?" he asked.

"Someone here just thought my name," I whispered, knowing he'd hear me. Eric swept us back through the door.

"Can you tell who it was?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm trying to get a fix," I explained. "I don't think he was close to us, I only picked up on him because he thought my name."

"Did you recognise the thoughts? Could it have been a staff member?"

I shook my head. "No, it wasn't a voice I recognised."

"Can you tell where in the bar he is?"

I thought about that for a moment. "I think he was close to the door, between the door and the dance floor."

Eric nodded. "What do you want to do?"

Run and hide, I thought, but much as I might like that now wasn't the moment for cowardice. "We should go back out there. If he sees me he'll think about me again, then I can get a fix on who he is and maybe what he wants."

Eric hooked a finger under my chin and titled my face up. "You will be safe, Sookie," he promised.

I nodded. Sure, tonight I was safe in a bar full of a dozen vampires, but what about Merlotte's? Sam was great, but he was no vampire, he couldn't really protect me if anything happened.

I shook my head. It didn't matter what was happening, I wasn't going to hide in the shadows, that wasn't my style. I needed to find out why someone had thought my name and what exactly it was that he wanted.

Eric took me straight to the dance floor and began guiding me around as I listened to the thoughts of those surrounding me.

I didn't find his mind again until he noticed me, then I got a good enough look to understand why I had trouble finding him.

"He's a shifter," I whispered to Eric.

Already tense, Eric gripped me tighter. "Who?"

As looking directly at him would give me away, I slipped into the minds of the people around him. "Ginger hair, about 5 foot 8."

The stranger was now standing at the edge of the dance floor, watching us, waiting. If he was here to harm me, he wasn't doing a very good job of being stealthy. I examined his mind again. He was anxious, tense but I didn't think he meant me any harm, and I told Eric.

Moments later we were standing right in front of him, although Eric stood in front of me, Pam and Gerald also appeared from no where to flank the stranger. The vamps were on the ball tonight.

"You're Sookie Stackhouse?" he asked. I nodded. He looked to Eric. "Eric Northman?" Eric also nodded. "I'm James South. Sam Merlotte told me where I could find you. I've been sent by the shifters of Dallas, they have a message for you."

Eric gestured for him to follow us and, keeping himself between James and me, led him through to the back.

As soon as the door swung shut, Pam pinned James against the wall as Gerald patted him down for weapons.

"He's clean," Gerald said.

Eric nodded. "Thank you Gerald, you can return to the bar." So Pam, James and I went with Eric to his office. Eric gestured to a seat in front of the desk for James. Pam stood by the door, Eric sat me in his chair, standing beside me. Obviously the desk between James and I wasn't enough of a defence.

Overprotective, that was my Eric.

"What can we do for you, Mr South?" To anyone else Eric sounded perfectly polite, but I could hear the undercurrent of tension. James better be on the up and up or he wasn't going to live long.

James was wise enough to realise this and swallowed. "You remember Luna?" he asked me.

"Yes," I told him. Eric looked blank. "The shifter who helped me escape from the fellowship in Dallas." I explained for him.

"She wasn't the only one in there, we had a few of others. Though the group was hurt by what happened, it didn't die out. The organisation went more underground but it's still the powerbase of the fellowship in America. Two of our members managed to stay in the group and have been working their way into the inner circle."

I nodded, wishing he'd get to the point.

"The group has gone military, even hiring mercenaries to train some members, they're getting organised for an attack on many fronts. The specifics haven't been worked out but the attacks will be big and simultaneous."

Again I nodded, wondering what this had to do with me.

"They know a little about you, Miss Stackhouse, they think you're psychic. I don't know if it was when you went to the Fellowship, or if they figured it out after Rhodes, but they know you played a big part in saving vampires at the hotel. They've decided you'll do it again and that's why, before they launch these attacks, you are their first target. They're coming for you this weekend."

Wow… That was a lot to take in.

"Why have the shifters decided to warn us?" Eric asked. Good question, shifters didn't really like vampires.

"One, because Sookie is human, and other humans will doubtless be harmed as well. Two, because when our existence is revealed, they'll be coming after us as well. They are our common enemy and many feel that we should work together on this."

Eric nodded. "This weekend?" he asked. It was Friday night already.

James nodded. "I'm sorry we couldn't come earlier, but news of this plan only now got back to the Dallas fellowship. They've been talking about taking you out for some time," he looked at me, pity in his eyes. "But it was up to your local cell to come up with the plan, and it then took a few days for us to hear of it."

"Sookie?" Eric turned his gaze to me.

I knew what he meant. "He believes he's telling the truth." Eric nodded. "What about Barry?" I asked James. If I was a target, surely Barry was too.

"We know of him, fortunately they don't know who he is yet. They have pictures from the Rhodes bombing and you two helping find people, but his face is covered in soot and debris. It's only a matter of time, though, so his employers are being warned too."

"Do you have any details?" Eric asked.

James shook his head. "Not much. We know when, and we know it'll be a surprise attack, but because they think she's psychic, they're leaving the final decisions up until the last minute, in case she predicts it."

I picked up the phone and called home. Amelia answered.

"Amelia…" Where did I begin.

"Hey, Sook."

Was it better to scare her? "Amelia, listen. Someone is looking for me, they want to kill me."

"Vamp or Were?" She asked.

"Human. I'm not there so that may protect you, but please, please be careful. They might use you to get to me. And don't let anyone in unless you're absolutely sure they're okay."

"Gotcha. We'll check the wards and get the shotgun out, too."

She was taking this seriously. Good. "Thanks Amelia. And I'm sorry to drag you into this."

"No problem. Life with you is never dull."

I said goodbye and hung up. Eric and James had been talking while I was on the phone.

"I'd be useless as a guard," James was explaining. "I'm just supposed to watch her in the day time and call for reinforcements."

"Call who?" Pam asked.

"The Long Tooth pack, here in Shreveport."

Alcide's pack. Well, he owed me a favour or two.

"And you cannot protect her because…?" Pam left the sentence unfinished.

James looked embarrassed. "Because… Because I change into a cat." I didn't think that was so bad. Sam had changed into a lion once, and Quinn was a tiger. They both packed a punch. "A house cat," he explained.

Oh. No, not really a lot of help against an assassin.

"They use me mainly for reconnaissance," he went on to defend himself. "I've lived with Steve Newlin and some other high up's in the past. No one notices a cat, they speak freely in front of me and it's normal for cats to disappear from time to time and come back."

I could see where he would come in handy. Sam liked to turn into a collie because while big, they weren't threatening. No one would feel threatened by a cat, either.

Of course Sam was a genuine shifter, meaning he could become whatever he chose. James was a Werecat, meaning he had no choice. Despite his usefulness, I doubted he was very well respected in the shifter community.

"I will handle Sookie's protection," Eric sounded firm. "You can return to Dallas certain I will keep her safe."

James looked unsure. "I was supposed to stay and help."

Eric was about to say something, probably that he didn't need a shifters help, only he wouldn't phrase it so nicely. I touched his arm to stop him and he looked down at me.

"I think we should cooperate with them, Eric. I think this is an olive branch."

Eric scowled. "I don't know if we can trust him."

"I can find that out, and you can still protect me yourself. Like he said, a cat isn't a lot of protection."

"Make sure he is truthful."

I rounded the desk and took James' hand. He didn't object. Eric then began questioning him again. As far as I could tell (and that was pretty far, really) he was genuine and again, I told Eric as much.

Pam and Eric began making plans for my safety, they didn't consult me much, and that bothered me. James wanted to stay with me, but Eric assured him his services would not be needed overnight (he was very private about the location of his home, I assumed he didn't want James knowing).

I suggested James sleep in my porch, as a cat to watch over Amelia and Octavia. James seemed okay with that idea and, after a lot of convincing, Eric saw my point of view. Pam arranged for someone to drive him there and I called Amelia again to let her know that a cat would be sleeping outside but that she wasn't to let him inside.

Hey, my gift isn't infallible. Better safe than sorry.

Eric and Pam then talked about who would take which shifts watching me. I felt like a child with no say. Basically they wanted to put my life on hold. I tried intervening but to no avail.

When they had decided my life for me I stomped back towards the bar. Eric caught up to me quickly. "Where are you going?" He didn't sound happy.

"To do my job," I snapped.

"No, it isn't safe for you out there. We'll go straight home."

"Eric, it's safer than anywhere else. There are over a dozen vampires here tonight and if someone out there is planning something, I'd rather have forewarning of that."

His face was like stone. "Fine."

We went back into the bar and I tried to read the thoughts around me but controlling my gift wasn't easy when I was upset. I tried to keep my focus, but I couldn't help but think about my life, all the things Eric wanted to take away from me in his overzealous drive to protect me.

I knew that I was only a waitress, I knew that if I quit, Eric would not only keep me, he would keep me in a much better style than that to which I was accustomed. I could be a lady of leisure, except for using my gift for Eric occasionally. You might think I'm crazy for wanting to hold onto a crappy bar job, but I liked that job. I liked being around humans, I liked my boss, I liked the independence of having my own income.

If I did give in and stay with Eric indefinitely, I'd surely lose contact with my human friends. I don't have many but I value the few I do. Pam was my only vampire friend, and we weren't exactly best buddies.

Besides, being a kept woman just wasn't me and no one, not Eric, not the fellowship, not anyone was going to scare me into giving my life up.

It must have been clear to everyone in the bar that we'd had a fight. Eric was stone faced, I looked pissed off and I was sure there must be waves of anger rolling off the both of us.

However I was here to do a job, and I intended to do that job even though Eric was constantly trying to shield me from the patrons and block me with his body, which didn't make it any easier.

As we approached the bar I heard the fang-bangers thoughts. Most of them were enjoying our tiff, but only one was foolish enough to comment on it. She was thinking that he was upset with me, that he would be looking for someone else now, and that he would gladly ditch me as I was nothing special. She thought that showing she was on his side by insulting me would win her points.

She couldn't have been more wrong. If Eric had truly been through with me, then he would have cut me completely out of his life, or flirted with the other women here, or said and done some truly vicious things to me. But he wasn't doing any of those things. Eric was mad at me, true, but he still loved me, or he wouldn't have been trailing around after me, shielding me at every turn. She obviously didn't know Eric (or vampires in general) very well.

As we passed her at the bar the fang-banger smiled sweetly at Eric. "Hey baby, isn't it time you ditched that slut and found a real woman."

Eric's arm moved too quickly for me to see but the next thing I knew, he had her by the throat, his fangs were showing and the girl looked like she was suffocating.

He sounded venomous. "Never speak of my lover that way!"

I gulped, terrified he was going to kill her. "Eric, Eric, put her down." I grabbed his arm and tried to pull him off her, but he was much stronger than I was. "She didn't mean it. ERIC!"

My words made no impact and all I could think of was to kiss him and divert that anger down another path. So I did, throwing myself on him and kissing him like my life depended on it. It worked. His free arm encircled my waste and his other arm slowly released the girl to hold me even more firmly to him. Pam stepped up to the girl and began to drag her outside. I wondered why she hadn't intervened before.

"Be more careful who you insult," I heard her chide the girl. "That slut, as you so tastefully put it, just saved your pathetic life."

At least Eric had the good sense not to fuck me in the bar and moments later I found myself being laid across his desk. There was nothing loving or tender about our coupling. It was hard and animalistic as we tore, scratched and bit each other into a frenzy. He entered me hard and thrust deeply. As I came, I bit down on his shoulder, drawing blood and he came seconds later.

My arms were still around him and I was panting heavily. Eric and I had never done anything like that before. I mean he wasn't always Mr Sensitive in the bedroom, but we'd never had such angry sex before.

"Sookie, are you okay?" he asked, softly. I felt like I should snap back at him, but I didn't have the energy.

"I'm fine. That was…"

"Yes, it was."

My breathing was returning to normal and he pulled out of me, his eyes sweeping over me, looking for damage.

"I'll have a few bruises, but I'm not hurt," I assured him.

He took me into his arms, holding me too tightly, but I didn't complain.

"My dress will never be the same again though," I said, looking sadly as its shredded remains.

Eric let go of me and looked down at his own shirt. Yep, I'd done a pretty good job of tearing that up. That pleased me.

"Let's call it a night. We'll talk at home." He was calm again, or calmer, at least.

Leaving sounded like a good idea to me. Eric handed me one of his spare shirts and I realised I didn't have any underwear on. I hadn't even felt them come off.

He removed his tattered shirt. I noticed the scratches I'd made on his back were nearly healed. I wouldn't have minded him feeling those for a few days.

"You bit me," he commented, noticing his shoulder.

I shrugged, I hadn't really been thinking about it. Then I blanched, the third exchange had tied me to Eric, what would a fourth time mean?

"It's okay, I didn't take enough of your blood to turn you." He assured me.

"Nothing else will happen?"

"No. We are already bonded. You'll just have the usual effects."

Thank God.

I put his shirt on, and some spare underwear I kept there and we headed for the back door. I checked the vicinity to make sure there was no one intent on harming me in the area, then we rushed to his car.

We drove home silently and ran inside just as quickly. I didn't feel safe until the alarm had been reactivated.

We then headed into the lounge and Eric put the fire on as I sat on the sofa.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," he said, sitting beside me. There was no IF about it, but for Eric, that was actually a pretty good apology.

Besides, I knew he hadn't been angry with me, not really. He was angry that anyone would dare try and hurt me, and he was mad that I wasn't cooperating, but mostly he loved me and it was that love that fuelled his anger. I wasn't making excuses for him, thanks to our bond, I knew this was true.

I wasn't sure where to begin. "Eric, I just can't give up work. I won't."

"It's just for a little while," he assured me.

"No, it's not. If this attempt fails, they aren't just going to give up. They'll keep trying until they succeed."

"I can't be there to protect you during the day."

"And you shouldn't have to be. You're my boyfriend," Okay, wholly inadequate word for what Eric was to me, but that's all I had, "not my bodyguard. I love you, but I'm not letting you or the fellowship stop me from leading my life."

Eric wasn't happy, I could tell, but he wasn't arguing, which was good. He was thinking and I hoped he was coming up with a compromise.

We spent the rest of the night making plans and making love. There was an air of desperation, on my side at least, when we made love. I felt like I had a ticking clock over my head, counting down to Armageddon (well, my own personal Armageddon) and I needed to connect with someone, to feel something real.

I couldn't remember ever having much of a warning when I'd been attacked before. Helpful as it may be, I wasn't sure I liked it. Ignorance was bliss.

We went through to the bedroom just before dawn and I collapsed into a restless slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

III

My alarm went off at 3pm the next day. I had agreed to start work earlier and leave earlier, a split shift Sam called it, because he was showing a football game. The college playoffs, or something. The LSU Tigers were playing and Sam thought it would be good for business.

I did too, but I hoped it wasn't going to turn into a sports bar. I liked Merlotte's as it was.

I dressed quickly and put on my bright red lipstick. It isn't a shade I usually wear, I had only bought it to match a dress I got on sale in Tara's. Like now, the day after I'd worn the dress I had to leave before Eric awoke. I felt awful just leaving but any notes I composed in my head sounded stupid, so I'd put the lipstick on and left a lip print on his neck.

So that was our routine now. Sometimes I'd put the mark in clean places, like his neck or hand, sometimes in erotic places, like his nipples or penis, and sometimes I'd try and hide it, like on his butt or the sole of his foot.

Today I was feeling scared, uneasy and thankful to have him, so I placed my lips on the left side of his chest, right above where his heart should be.

I wiped the rest of lipstick off, checked I hadn't forgotten anything then left, reaching back into the room to press the door close button then I closed the hidden panel in the library.

I smiled, with the hidden panels and secret rooms, it was like living in a mystery novel!

I turned the alarm off and scanned outside looking for human brains meaning me harm. All I came up with was Trey Dawson. I reactivated the alarm and went outside to hug him.

Dawson smiled. "Looking good, Sookie." He began leading me over to my car. I wondered where his car was.

"Why thank you. You look mighty fine yourself. I can see what Amelia sees in you."

He grinned. He and Amelia had been dating for a good few months now. They both seemed crazy about each other, but they never seemed too serious. Maybe that was why they liked each other so much, no pressure.

Dawson got in the drivers side of my car.

"Won't you need your car?" I asked.

"I brought my bike. I can pick it up later."

On the way to my house I filled him in on what I knew, Eric's phone call to him last night had been succinct, but not detailed. Dawson listened eagerly. He seemed very angry that I was being targeted. Part of that was that he liked me, only as a friend and good person, but that was more than enough for me. What really got his goat though, was that fact I was both a human, and even worse, a woman. In Trey Dawson's book, you had to be the lowest of the low to pick on a woman.

Back at home Amelia informed me that Octavia had gone into town. Amelia herself was sitting on the porch with James, still in cat form. She seemed to be taking good care of him (her Bob substitute, perhaps?) but I was glad to see he wasn't in the house. She'd made a bed of old sweaters in a low sided card board box, had gotten Bob's old water bowl out and even a bowl of tuna. James really was getting the star treatment.

Dawson nodded to the cat, recognising one of his own, and to my amazement the cat nodded back. While Amelia and Dawson said hello properly I changed for work.

Not fifteen minutes later we were headed to Merlotte's, Amelia promising to come over and join us once the game had finished.

The bar was quite full when I got there, and the patrons a little rowdy. Jason wasn't there, I was pleased to note, but there were a lot of new faces. Football fans or fellowship fanatics? For the first time I began to see Eric's wisdom in keeping me out of work. But too late now, I would have to listen in to people as best I could.

I recognised some of Arlene's fellowship friends and paid special attention to their thoughts. It surprised me that they were in my section, but then I realised the screen was here, therefore the best view and I could detect no more malice directed towards me than usual.

My proclivity towards vampires was well known in these parts, although most people were accepting, some idiots always took exception to me.

Dawson took a seat in my area.

Sam gave me a look as I joined him behind the bar. That look told me he knew what was happening and he had my back. I smiled, gratefully.

As I began taking orders I saw Calvin Norris sitting with Tanya. He nodded and when I came over they both ordered light beers. They were in on it too and, considering what I'd had to do to poor Calvin, I was surprised to see him to say the least. I also wasn't sure about Tanya being here, we weren't very friendly, but she didn't seem to mean me any harm.

Fifteen minutes later, Alcide and Emilio (at least I thought his name was Emilio) walked in. They took a table near the door which didn't have a very good view of the big screen Sam had erected. Although it wasn't my section, I offered to go over and get their drinks order.

"Alcide, what are you doing here?" I whispered though my smile.

"Watching the game, Sookie," he answered innocently, but he winked to let me know he was also in on what was happening.

Then, even more amazingly, Claudine walked in a few minutes after that. I gave her a quick peck on the cheek then rushed off as she sat down at the bar. The game was minutes away from starting and everyone wanted to get their orders in before then. I did my best to read the thoughts of everyone, but I was a little distracted by the need to rush.

After a burst of activity, things then died down. I took the seat at the bar beside Claudine and hugged her.

"Long time, no see," I said.

"I know! Who would have thought you could have gone this long without a life threatening incident," she teased.

I grinned. My life had been without incident for a month or two now. Alas, no longer.

"You here to guard me too?" I whispered.

Claudine nodded. "But it looks like you already have that covered."

I blushed. I hadn't expected so many people to turn out for me. Dawson, sure, Eric was probably paying him. Alcide… well, we had a few issues. He didn't mean me harm, but he'd never exactly protected me in the past, either. Sam, well of course Sam looked out for me. Sam was probably the best friend I had. Calvin I hadn't expected. I had smashed his hand to bits. It was a pack thing, something he expected me to do, and something he assured me he would have done to me if our roles had been reversed. Still, that didn't exactly make for cordial relationships. Well, not in my world. Claudine, of course, had her own life, her own job, and none of those things make looking after me very easy for her. Not that she seemes to mind.

It felt good that so many people cared enough to put themselves out for me. It also made me feel guilty.

"Do you know anything I don't?" I asked her, my eyes sweeping my tables in case someone needed a refill.

"Nope. Just heard on the grapevine, thought this weekend would be a good time for a visit."

"Well, why ever you're here, I'm pleased to see you."

We chatted a little about my newly discovered great grandfather in between me hopping up to get more drinks for people. I'd seen Nialls a few times, and I tried to phone him every two weeks or so to keep him up to date on my life. He liked that, but our relationship wasn't easy. Neither of us quite knew what to make of the other but I'd long since stopped trying to figure our relationship out. He cared about me, I cared about him, that was enough. The odd dinner now and again was just a bonus in my book.

My only other close relative, my brother Jason, was still avoiding me, and until he was ready to apologise over what he'd made me do to Calvin, as well he should. Of course I heard how he was doing from the bar patrons since Jason was always good for some gossip. Now that he was single again it seemed he'd slipped straight back into his old ways.

I sighed, wishing he would grow up.

Just then half time turned the trickle of orders into a flood as everyone took advantage of the break. Everyone was milling about, pleased as punch that the Tigers were up on the scoreboard. I was rushed off my feet but I noticed Dawson stand and stretch, looking around for trouble, Alcide and his partner sat up straighter and the gorgeous Claudine was soon surrounded by potential suitors, no change there then.

But nothing happened and gradually the bar settled down again as everyone prepared for the second half. It was another two hours until dusk. I wondered how long it would take for my vampire bodyguards to show up. Eric hadn't said to expect them, I just knew.

"Hey, Sookie, can you get me some more bottles of bourbon, gin and whiskey?" Sam asked, carrying two crates of beer in. He was using the lull in orders to restock the bar. Thanks to the game, business had been booming.

"Sure thing," I headed through to the back.

I had about two seconds notice as I entered the stockroom. He was terrified. Not of me but of what he was about to do. In his mind killing vampires was akin to killing an animal, no worse than killing a man eating lion. He hadn't signed up to kill humans and he wasn't sure he had it in him. He wasn't even sure he wanted to.

That brief warning was enough to make me hit the floor as he pounced. He tripped when I wasn't where he expected me to be. Unable to regain his footing, he kicked me, probably by accident, then fell over me. I crawled towards the door but he was on me quickly from behind, his hands around my neck, squeezing.

It had all been so quiet, I hadn't screamed, and now I couldn't scream. I clawed at his fingers as they choked the life out of me, wishing someone would notice I was gone. I hadn't taken much blood from Eric last night, but it was probably enough, if only a could aim a blow at my attacker.

Seeing Dawson was like a miracle, until I saw him pull his foot back. Was he going to kick me too? Was my protector in on it?

Of course not, and I heard the heel of his boot connect with something just behind my shoulder. Then I heard a muffled cry and the hands around my throat relaxed. Dawson stepped over me, into the storeroom and pulled him away before turning to check on me and calling for Sam.

Sam rushed through, as did Alcide and his friend, Claudine and Calvin. I didn't think they would hear, but I guess I hadn't taken account of shifter hearing.

Their swift exit from the bar brought a few other curious on lookers too. I sat up in the doorway, panting and holding my neck, it felt like it was on fire.

Lots of people asked what happened but I couldn't talk yet. Sam and Dawson answered their questions. Sam took me out to the bar area as Dawson tied my attacker up and went through his pockets. Sam called the police from the bar.

"God damn fellowship rednecks!" exclaimed Hoyt. "Who do they think they are, attacking defenceless women?"

A few patrons agreed with him, I was glad to see, and an idea began forming in my head.

Gradually (well, over the next five minutes) the men mostly returned to watching the game. The shifters pretended to as well, although I noticed they now took seats much closer to me. Sam and Dawson fussed over me until Andy and Bud arrived about fifteen minutes later.

I went back to Sam's office to answer his questions, Dawson came with me. Andy half thought I deserved it, but at least he didn't say that out loud. He questioned Dawson too but seemed satisfied that excess force hadn't been used to restrain my attacker. I realized I didn't even know his name. I wondered if he had known mine?

Bud cuffed the man and took him back to the station to charge him but Andy had a lot more questions for us and stayed. Talking was getting more and more painful.

"I'll bet your throats red raw after the attack and all this talking," Dawson said, rather pointedly. "Would you like some tea and honey?"

I wasn't sure Sam had such a thing, but I nodded. Andy had the good grace to look abashed. Dawson stood up and Andy put his notebook away. "I guess I know where to find you if I have any more questions."

I nodded and Dawson took my shoulders and guided me gently back to the bar. I let him, playing up the frail image for Andy.

I sat at the bar again and a few moments later Sam handed me a mug of tea. "Found some honey in the kitchen," he said. The tea was only lukewarm, all I could stand at the moment, and I sipped at it.

Andy came and sat beside me at the bar, asking Sam some questions. I guessed he was waiting around to ask the other customers some questions once the game ended.

Once my tea was gone, Sam gave me a shot of whisky with instructions to sip it. At first it hurt like a bitch, but gradually it began to anesthetise my throat much more than the tea had.

I was feeling pretty shaky, but I wasn't badly hurt. At least it was over, I thought. For a little while at least. They would try again, but they'd need time to regroup.

It was sound logic.

And completely and totally wrong.

III

Dusk was only maybe fifteen minutes away and as soon as Eric awoke he would know something was wrong with me. It would take him the best part of an hour to get here, and I wished he was closer. I needed his arms around me.

The game was over and I made to go and take orders again but Sam told me, in no uncertain terms I was to say put. I didn't feel up to arguing.

Arlene shot me a glare at having to cover my section too, but I just glared back.

"If you want to blame anyone, blame your fellowship buddies. Next time tell them to make sure my shift is covered BEFORE they try and kill me."

This statement might have had more impact if my voice hadn't been so rough, but as it was Arlene just pretended she couldn't hear me.

I wanted to slap her. I restrained myself only because Sam needed her.

Everyone was milling around happily and I gathered we'd won. Not that I cared. They had been drinking a lot through out the afternoon and that make them loud, it made their thoughts loud too.

Poor Mr Miller and Art Hanson were especially loud since they'd both decided to bet on the loosing team, thinking they'd get a higher payout if they won. Losing the rent money (in Mr Millers case) and his seven year old daughters savings (in Art's case) had never occurred to either of them and they were more than a trifle worried about the reactions they'd receive at home. Right now both were trying to drown their sorrows in beer. I was trying to drown out their worry but I was too tired to be very effective. I could feel a headache coming on.

Maybe because I wasn't expecting it so soon, maybe because there were so many loud voices I my head, maybe because I thought the anxiety was just someone else who'd lost money, or maybe just because I just seem to have the worst luck ever, I didn't notice one of Arlene's friend edging closer and closer to me.

That's when Bill arrived, sweeping his gaze over the bar quickly to find me. I could see his eyes widen in fear, but I didn't know what he'd seen. I saw him pushing his way through the crowd to get to me, but before I even knew what was happening, I heard the gun go off.

I felt the jolt in my side but I didn't feel the pain immediately. I saw the gun slide across the floor, I saw Dawson wrestling with someone. I looked down at my side and saw the blood seeping over my white shirt. I thought that at least that was the same side I'd been staked in, and maybe the scars would overlap each other, I didn't want another scar. Then my legs turned to jelly and I slipped off my bar stool. Bill caught me before I hit the floor.

III

Half an hour later I'd been patched up by a paramedic team and was sitting back at the bar, waiting for Andy to let me go. The bullet had grazed rather than penetrated and a lot of the blood vessels had been cauterized by the hot bullet. It still looked like a lot of bleeding to me and they wanted to take me to hospital, though they assured me I would be fine.

Bill and Dawson remained with me and I was grateful for their presence. If Dawson hadn't grabbed the shooters arm in time, I would probably be dead now, rather than seriously injured.

Andy had arrested the shooter and thankfully had witnessed the whole thing. It didn't seem to endear me to him though. The bar had been closed and only a few patrons remained who were waiting to be questioned about what, if anything, they saw.

I was bone tired. There are only so many emotions one person can handle in a day, and only so much adrenalin a body can cope with. Right now I wanted a hug and sleep, hopefully in that order. I didn't rate my chances of getting them anytime soon.

Just then the front door of Merlottes opened with a bang and Eric burst in. He was at my side a second later.

"I'm fine," I croaked. "Nothing serious."

He looked doubtful for a moment, then gently put his arms around me. "I was so worried," he said, absently.

It was barely forty five minutes after dusk, he must have driven like a bat out of hell.

I heard a cough behind me and knew it was Andy. I so didn't want to do this now.

I felt Eric stiffen but he took his time pulling away from me. He kissed me gently and slowly on the lips, before finally turning his attention to Andy. He'd been leaning down to hug me and I saw Andy's eyes widen as Eric straightened up to his normal height. Andy is not a big man and sometimes he doesn't like that fact.

"And who might you be?" Andy asked.

Eric kept one arm around me, protectively. "Eric Northman."

Andy looked from Eric to me and back again. Eric didn't respond to the unasked question as Andy expected. It took him a moment to regroup. I wondered if Andy recognized Eric from the Fowler cabin. He didn't give any sign of it.

"And you're here because?" Andy asked.

"Because Sookie is hurt."

Andy still hadn't had his question answered, and although he could guess that Eric and I were a couple, he didn't like Eric's superior attitude. In my mind at least, Eric was superior to Andy, in almost every way that counted.

Andy sounded irritated. "You would be the boyfriend?"

"Something like that," Eric said with a small smile. "And you would be the insufferable Detective Bellefleur." It wasn't a question.

As Andy saw it, he had two options, ignore the remark or become aggressive. He wisely chose to ignore it, for now. "Where are you from?"

"Sweden, why?" I wanted to giggle, but I knew that wouldn't help.

"I mean now. You're not a local so where do you live?" Andy sounded each work out slowly, as though Eric was slow.

"Shreveport."

"You got here mighty fast."

It wasn't a question so Eric didn't answer. Andy was getting angrier.

"So how did you know what had happened here?" he barked.

"Sookie and I are very close." He looked down into my eyes. I didn't want to look away. "We can tell when the other is in pain so as soon as I awoke I started on my way. Bill called while I was en route with an update." He finally looked back at Andy. Or looked down on Andy, more accurately.

"Any idea why this happened?" Andy was just pushing now, looking for a rise from Eric.

"Because the Fellowship of the Sun are fools who despise us. They're too afraid to come after us directly so they take the cowardly approach and attack those who associate with us."

"Why would they do that?"

Eric's eyes flashed but Andy didn't notice. "I expect for the very same reasons you judge Sookie so harshly. You fear what you do not understand rather than embracing the unknown and learning from it."

"Vampires are killers. If she didn't hang around with you then she wouldn't be in danger." Andy was getting rattled.

"So you think she should associate with humans who think she is a freak? People who are openly hostile and call her crazy, people who insult her, look down on her and try to kill her? Vampires are dangerous, Detective Bellefleur, yet a vampire has never tried to kill Sookie."

That wasn't quite true, but I wasn't going to mention it.

Eric continued as he looked down at me again. "Sookie is revered among our kind. The very thing that you fear about her, makes her special in our eyes." He looked back to Andy. "If you were in Sookie's position, who would you choose to befriend?"

Andy was almost red with rage. Eric hadn't lost his cool, spoken out of turn, been openly rude or even raised his voice, but he had very firmly put Andy in his place. This was a conversation I would enjoy replaying over and over.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to take Sookie to the hospital."

"I haven't finished questioning her!"

"Yes, you have," Eric eyes flashed again and this time Andy caught the danger. "She has been strangled and shot. Only a sadist would stop her seeking medical attention and if you even attempt to stop us leaving, I will have your badge."

Andy finally realized that everyone in the room had been watching this exchange. He didn't want to back down, but he believed Eric's threat.

"You can go," he said, gruffly.

Eric scooped me into his arms and headed for the door.

"Oh, Mr Northman?" Andy called out, almost as an afterthought. "If I need to contact you again, where can I find you?"

"You can contact my Lawyer, JD Hennman." Eric looked back, over his shoulder. "He's in the book."

I snickered at the look in Andy's face. JD Hennman was Shreveport's most expensive lawyer. And it wasn't because of his charming personality.

III

Eric didn't like hospitals and the fact he had come with me said a lot for him, I thought. He was looking tense and shooing a few glares at me for insisting we come. Eric would rather I took his blood to heal, but these injuries needed recording. I wasn't sure I'd let him heal me after that but I was sure I needed documentation and photographic evidence.

As for the rest, I was still working it through in my head.

Finally the Doctor released me and we went to my home, which was closest. I was glad because I really wanted my things around me tonight. Eric had flown to Bon Temps and my car was still at the bar so we called a cab. We didn't talk on the drive but waited until we were in my bedroom, in my home, or in other words, in private.

Brevity in my explanations to my house guests was easy tonight since Amelia had gone to Merlotte's to make sure Dawson was okay and Octavia was never one to pry.

"Let me heal you," Eric asked again.

I shook my head. "Hear me out first." He nodded, albeit reluctantly.

I changed for bed and we crawled in together, Eric wrapping me in his arms. It occurred to me that we spent a lot of time lying down together. Given the difference in our heights, it made a lot of things easier, then we just seemed to stay that way. I hadn't spent loads of time in bed with Bill, or Quinn (not that I'd had much chance with him). It was odd.

Eric was still rather edgy, but then I would be too if someone had tried to kill Eric. Twice. In one day!

"You have a plan?" he coaxed.

"Maybe." I was silent for a few moments as I thought of how to phrase this. Finally I took a deep breath and began. "They aren't going to stop, now they think they know about me, they won't let up until I'm out of the picture. The back up attack proves that and the fact I survived will only inflate my ability in their eyes." My voice was still a little raspy.

Eric nodded and began stroking my hair.

"So, we have to defeat them. First way to do that is wipe them out." I knew that would be Eric's first choice. "But that'll never work. We'll never get all of them and it'll only attract more sympathy for their cause. They'll probably get more popular, grow more militant and be a bigger threat."

I let Eric mull that over for a while. He already knew this, of course, but that wouldn't necessarily stop the vampires, even if Eric could see the sense of it.

"You have another plan?" he asked.

Good, he agreed with me. "Yes, we wipe out their support." I explained. "We launch a huge media campaign about the big bad fellowship hurting innocent people and vamps. We already have the Dallas shooting and the Rhodes bomb, we get survivors in front of the camera's, we get sob stories. People like you and me will do TV and press interviews looking all American and teary at the thought of someone hurting us for our love. There have to be a lot more humans we can use too, human-vamp couples would be great. We keep that up, their support dies, the money dries up, people scorn the organisation and it'll die out."

Eric's hand was now running up and down my arm, igniting feelings that had no place in a strategy meeting. Mind you, not many strategy meetings took place in bed. I needed to hurry this up before I jumped him.

"Our new king already has a publishing empire," I continued. "I'll bet he has some contacts we can use, I'll bet you do too. This has to be national and coordinated, on all fronts, in all states."

"It's… interesting." He said after a moment. At least he wasn't dismissing it out of hand. "But I'm not sure it would work."

"That's how the Klan died out." Okay, it hadn't been a concentrated PR campaign, but the public had turned against the Klan making it impossible for them to carry on.

Eric remained silent for a long while and I began to think he didn't like the idea.

"You mind works in very interesting ways, Sookie." Was his final verdict. What did that mean?

"So you think it's a good plan?"

"I do. I will call Victor tonight, set up a meeting with the king. Though I warn you, vampires aren't… used to indirect action. It isn't our nature and I can't promise the other kings and queens will agree with us."

"I know. But if you want to mainstream, you have to learn to use the media rather than your fists."

"Felipe de Castro will understand that better than most. He is powerful and his opinion will hold a lot of weight with the other leaders." He kissed the top of my head. "Will you let me heal you now?"

"Well…" My voice was getting quieter and quieter. It was tempting. But it was also risky and if we were going to action this campaign. "I thought it might be better if we kept them for the camera's."

"By the time it is set up, your injuries will have healed but…" He pulled away and sat up beside me, looking down at my face. "Sookie, you hate attention."

"Well, yeah. But I have to do my part." I said firmly. That's had been one of the many aspects I'd been thinking over. "I've been attacked, nearly raped, run off the road, shot at, my house set on fire, staked, blown up and now I can add shot again and strangled to the list. That's good stuff for this campaign."

Eric cupped my cheek in his hand. "You would do that for me?" he asked.

I put my hand over his. There was very little I wouldn't do for him. "Yeah."

He leaned down and planted a light kiss on my lips. You could almost call it reverent.

"I'll gonna need a better thank you than that," I teased.

He smirked. "What did you have in mind?"

My free hand snaked under the covers to grasp him. Yep, he was ready to thank me properly.

"On one condition," he told me.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Let me heal you."

"Why is it so important to you, Eric?"

His blue eyes bored into mine. "Because I cannot bare seeing you in pain."

He had assured me many times that he would never turn me, how could I refuse him?

I pushed him back on the bed and straddled him. His fingers wandered over my body as I teased his neck. I knew he enjoyed this and I was going to make it last. I licked, sucked and grazed his neck with my teeth, eliciting some very interesting noises from Eric.

He entered me but also went slowly, silently telling me that I would only get my release when I did what he wanted.

Vampires!

Finally when I could resist no longer, I bit down hard on his neck and was rewarded with possibly the longest, and most exhausting climax I'd ever had.

III

I had been dozing and when I awoke I was surprised to see it was only midnight. I also felt completely healthy again. It was nice to swallow without pain.

Eric set up the meeting with Victor and after that seemed to visibly relax. He was still wary of my safety, but I didn't feel he was poised on a knife edge any longer.

To be honest, I felt better too. Action is always better than passivity.

I didn't want to be at the meeting, but Eric convinced me I had the best chance of convincing Victor, understanding humans as I did.

I didn't think it was hard, they must have had a few other humans they could ask, but Eric was adamant.

Victor arrived at 4am and we spelled out our plan. He seemed to think there was some merit to it, but he wasn't exactly enthusiastic. However, he said he would relay it to the King which was all we really wanted.

I took a few days off work and spent them with Eric. I felt guilty about it, like I was relying on Eric to protect me, but the simple fact is I'd had two close calls in one day. How many more were lined up? Being away from work made things safer for my friends, too. And it wasn't like I intended to stay away. I'd asked Sam for 3 days (plus I wasn't working on Sunday anyway so I was only missing 2 shifts), and he'd agreed.

Felipe de Castro had been informed of events and was thinking over our idea.

I was drying my hair, ready to go out to a show Eric had tickets for, when he came through from his library. I could tell he wasn't happy.

"Felipe likes your idea and would like us to go and see him next week in Las Vegas, as his guest." His voice was flat.

There was more, I was sure. I really didn't want to see the king again. "Nice as that sounds, I don't think I can get the time off work."

Eric's voice was quiet. "Sookie, so far he has only requested our presence but if we deny him…"

He didn't have to say it. I had a good idea what would happen if I said no. At least Eric looked miserable too.

"So what does he really want?" I asked.

"He is considering buying a new business and, while his accountants can find nothing wrong, there are some unusual practices in their bookkeeping. He wants to be sure his investment is sound before he buys."

"Will you be there?" He had said "our presence" but I had to check. There was no way I was going alone.

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Five days."

I sighed. I didn't have a lot of choice.

"When do we leave?"

III

AN: If you're enjoying this, check out my profile for other Southern Vampire and True Blood stories.


	3. Chapter 3

The sequel to this fic, Changes, is now up.

You can find it through my profile or here .net/s/4674382/1/

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the next part.


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